The present invention pertains generally to lasers and more particularly to multiple output lasers.
Various photochemical applications of lasers require lasers having specified wavelengths, pulse repetition frequencies, power, reliability, and efficiency, to provide a viable photochemical process. Additionally, many applications require a plurality of specified wavelengths which are produced in a synchronous manner, to achieve the desired results. The conventional manner of pumping various gaseous lasers such as Marx banks, discharges, etc., as disclosed in the background material of application Ser. No. 832,489 entitled "Microwave Accelerator E-Beam Pumped Laser" by Charles A. Brau et al., filed Sept. 12, 1977 does not provide either the reliability, pulse repetition frequency, efficiency, or average power required for many applications.
Although the microwave accelerator e-beam pumped laser disclosed in the above-identified application overcomes these disadvantages with regard to gaseous lasers for which the above process is most applicable in the production of ultraviolet radiation, a tunable infrared source which can produce synchronous pulses in combination with such a uv sources, is desirable. Gaseous lasers such as the CO.sub.2 laser, HF laser, CF.sub.4, etc., can produce ir radiation at specified wavelengths, and can provide some tunability by shifting from various rotational states. The range of tunability, however, is limited, due to various physical phenomena of the gaseous laser medium. Additionally, tunability is frequently limited to discrete quantum steps, rather than a continuously variable spectrum of frequencies. For this reason, a continuously tunable source which could also be operated in the uv, visible ir spectral regions would have great desirability.